End of Chapter One ... (August 19, 2009)


And so endeth my first bike touring adventure.

I am back in Tempe after a quick drive from Salt Lake City to Phoenix. It is amazing how much distance one can cover in a car, after having spent almost three months doing an average of 55 miles per day on the bike.

The trip to Salt Lake City International Airport (to pickup the rental car), was somewhat of an adventure. Upon waking in Brigham City, I looked out the window and saw nothing but low black clouds and lots of water on the ground ... and lots of water heading toward the ground. Great ... one last ride in the rain. As it turned out, by the time I left the hotel the rain had stopped. It was a cold and wet ride none-the-less. Fortunately, I was able to cover the 2o miles to Ogden quickly, aided by a nice strong tailwind.

In Ogden I loaded the bike on to the Frontrunner ... the urban transit train that runs between Ogden and Salt Lake City. From the SLC station, I rode the bike the six or seven miles out to the airport. Traffic patterns at the airport (and to the car rental areas) were not designed with bicyclists in mind ... quite nerve racking. But I succeeded in running the gauntlet, and found my way to the rental car counter ... not many people wearing biking clothes at airports, are there?

Anyway, I rented the car and headed for Las Vegas. I was able to save about $100 by renting SLC-to-LV then LV-to-Phx, as opposed to SLC-to-Phx. Bit of a hassle, but well worth the savings.

Saturday I drove to St. George, UT and have very little to report about the drive other than the fact that I think I stopped at just about every convenience store along the way to buy some form of junk food. On Sunday I drove to LV, then on to Phx.

I had never been on the highway from SLC to LV before. As is to be expected, I saw quite a bit of desert. The area that is truly amazing is the Arizona Strip, the area where the highway (I-15) crosses through the northwest corner of Arizona. This drive is like driving down, in, and through the Grand Canyon ... it is spectacular (but I sure wouldn't want to ride a bike on that road). I am sure that the Arizona Department of Transportation - Road Building Division was not too excited about having to build the highway, as I am not sure there are any Arizona towns serviced by what had to be a very expensive road to build. (For you "advanced placement english class" students ... that last sentence was quite a sentence, eh? Diagram that one, you eggheads!)

The rest of Sunday's drive was taken at an easy pace (cruise control is wonderful). I took I-40 from Kingman to Ash Fork, then headed south through Prescott and down Yarnell Hill. It made for a longer day, but I did not want to arrive in the Valley of the Heat mid-afternoon. Arrived back home Sunday evening.

So it has been a couple of days of getting the bike cleaned up and gear stowed. And it is hot.

I have mixed emotions about having ended the ride. I realize that emotionally I was not prepared to continue the ride, but I do miss the daily riding adventure.

Was the ride a success? Yes, I think so.

Will I do any more bike tours? Definitely!

I have been asked what was the trip like ... my best answer is that it was much like any other long-term endeavor in that there were good days and bad days ... interesting/mentally stimulating days and some very mundane days. I met some very interesting people and really enjoyed seeing new territory and learning about the history of the Northwest. I also had the opportunity to get to know my cousin Larry and his wife Ilene ... which was one of the highlights of the trip.

I am not sure if I am able to properly convey stories about my cycling adventure. To me, the adventure was very much a "be here now" type of experience, and other than a few unique situations (example: the shoe tree), it is difficult to express what I experienced. Trying to convey the joy of long downhill runs, or the agony of long uphill climbs (or strong headwinds) is not an easy task ... nor is conveying the serenity of pedaling through beautiful country. Bill Sievers is correct ... bike touring must be experienced to be truly appreciated and understood.

The bike has been cleaned and is now at rest ... I look forward to my next cycling adventure ... anyone want to go for a ride?

Quick Trip Home ... (August 14, 2009)


Due to a lot of different rationalized reasons, I am opting to take an alternative means of transportation to get back to Phoenix.

This morning I am in a small motel in a town called Preston, ID. I will be riding into Brigham City, UT today, then tomorrow, heading directly to the Salt Lake City Airport to rent a car and return to Phoenix via Las Vegas. What would take approximately two and a half weeks on my bike will take two days in a car.

The last three days have found me in a profound funk, just pedaling the bike to cover the miles. The joy and excitement of seeing new things is no longer a passenger on this voyage. Yesterday I stopped along the road for my usual "in ride" snack of banana, fig bars and water only to realize that I had stopped directly across the road for similar reasons about two months ago.

So, rather than slog along and not enjoy the experience, I am taking the express lane home.

I did meet some interesting riders the other day in Blackfoot, ID (north of Pocatello). Amaya Williams and Eric Schambion have been riding for over two years, and are part of an organization called World Biking. They have set a goal of riding 80,000 kilometers through 80 countries. The organization's mission is to provide bicycles to people in third world countries. For more information, go to www.worldbiking.info. Funny thing is that when I stopped and talked with them, they did not say anything about their ride ... we just discussed the day's rides.

Time to pack-up the bike and head south.

We have a winner ... (August 11, 2009)


Included in my August 2 posting, I asked if anyone knew what the raft in the Lochsa River is ... after a few rather creative answers, I think I have received a true plausible answer.

Skip Atkinson, lead loon of the wilderness hikers I shared dinner with at Three Rivers Resort, provided the following: the raft is called a "weir". Fish are gently trapped in the rotating drum ... U.S. Fish and Game employees monitor the type, size and general health of the fish.

While I appreciate getting a plausible answer, I kind of liked my cousin Larry's offering ... it is an exercise wheel for trout ... similar to what is available for mice, rats and guinea pigs. Good one, Larry.

Stable Horse ... (August 10, 2009)


Like a horse heading back to the stable, I am heading for Arizona.

Yesterday I rode the 73 miles from Ennis, MT to West Yellowstone, MT. Made for a long day as it was primarily uphill (1700' gradual elevation gain) and into a slight headwind. This part of the country is quite beautiful ... heading into the the Rocky Mountains. Of particular interest is Quake Lake. In 1959, there was a landslide caused by an earthquake that completely blocked off the Madison River. The Corp of Engineers had to quickly open a waterway through the landslide debris so as to avoid a catastrophic flood of areas downstream. This lake is proof that the earth is still evolving.

Changes in plan again ... I had planned on riding through Yellowstone Park, then head south either east or west of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. But like a stable horse, I am looking to get home as quickly as possible. So I am going to head down to Idaho Falls, then back through Central Utah.

My thought is that next summer I will re-attempt a cross-country ride, and do Yellowstone Park at that time. Next time I will start riding in Oregon, not Arizona.

Today's ride to Ashton, ID. will put total mileage right at 3000 miles ... not too shabby for a 60 year-old. Actually, as of tomorrow, a 61 year-old. Ouch.

Time to head south ... hope the wind is with me.

Headed Home ... (August 8, 2009)


I made my decision last night ... I am heading back to Arizona. After studying a map of North America, I deducted that it would take me approximately 50 days to get back to Massachusetts. I just do not have the energy/motivation to take that on at this time ... so back to Arizona I go.

After a most enjoyable stay in Bozeman with Jen, Thad and Lilian, I headed west, then south, planning to make the 45 mile ride to Ennis, MT an easy day. Big surprise ... about 20 miles into the ride, when I turned south, I was greeted by a ferocious head wind. At this point, the road entered a canyon created by the Madison River. After battling the wind for about 6 miles, I decided to call it a day and set-up camp at the Red Mountain National Parks Campground. Having set-up camp around noon, I took the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of the east coast versus the Arizona routes. Made my decision around 6:00 after taking a welcome nap (all that concentrating took a lot out of me).

The wind blew all day and all night ... plus more night-time rain. What a joy ... my lack of love for camping was reinforced. The campsite was quite beautiful as the Madison River was about 15' from my tent. This morning I got an early start and found a gas station some 8 miles into the ride. The coffee was stimulating; the conversation with a local truck driver was not.

The short 27 mile ride into Ennis, MT. was hard (long uphill) and joyful (long downhill). Observing the cloud buildup to the south, I decided to set-up camp in a cheap hotel. Ennis, a town of about 1,000 people, was holding an Arts Festival in the downtown park ... it got rained out around 4:00 PM (heavy, heavy rain and strong winds). Lovely weather we are having here in Southwestern Montana ... it is supposed to get down to 36 degrees in West Yellowstone tonight.

Weather aside, I must say that the beauty of the country west of Bozeman has relegated Southern Idaho to second place on my "most incredibly beautiful scenery" list.

Having made my travel plan decision, I feel much more at peace.

Dipping the Wheel ... (August 6, 2009)


As you may recall, awhile back I dipped the rear wheel of my bike in the Pacific ... today I dipped the front wheel in the Missouri River. Not the Omaha, Nebraska stretch of the Missouri River, but rather the Missouri River Headwaters ... west of Bozeman, MT.

Yesterday, after leaving Butte, MT, I set out at a fairly leisurely pace, and had planned on a peaceful 58 mile ride into Three Forks, MT. While there were predictions of rain, the sky did not look at all threatening. I passed over the Continental Divide (6393') about 10 miles east of Butte, then settled in at a very comfortable pace. Feeling good and rested, I decided to get off of I-90, and take one of the suggested "scenic routes" laid out for me by John at Adventure Cycling. At Cardwell, I detoured through Jefferson Canyon, which was one of the many areas explored by Lewis and Clark. The first 10 miles of this route was very enjoyable ... narrow road, but very little traffic. The second leg of this detour, about 20 miles, included such delights as road construction, no shoulders/bike lane, heavy traffic and head winds with sporadic heavy rain.

No fun ... very tense. Needless to say, I opted for a motel rather than camp in the rain.

Thursday morning I awoke to a flooded parking lot ... it had rained off and on all night. Weather reports called for heavy rains late in the day, so I got a very early start. The 35 miles into Bozeman did not look to be at all difficult, so again I rode at a very comfortable pace. Just a few miles into the ride, I took a short detour into the Missouri River Headwaters State Park. In-as-much-as I was debating if I would continue riding to the east or head back to Arizona, I figured I could always say I dipped the front wheel in the Missouri River ... just not say that it occurred in Montana, not the Midwest. As it turned out, the Interpretive Center was very interesting, and the information presented brought together many of the loose-ends generated by my reading about Native American history (prior to 1800) and the Lewis & Clark Expedition. I had a very enjoyable "scholarly" conversation with a young lady who works for the State Parks Department ... she was clearly "wowed" by the knowledge I had accumulated over the past two months. I did not have the heart to tell her I would probably forget most of the information before nightfall.

As I got closer to Bozeman, I stopped in a small town (Manhatten, MT) for lunch. I asked a guy along the street to recommend a cafe, which he did. After I finished my meal, and was preparing to leave the parking lot of the cafe, he approached me to see if I had a few minutes. He turned out to be a staff writer for a newspaper based in Belgrade, MT (a suburb of Bozeman). I was rather taken aback that he thought there might be a story in my travels ... see http://www.belgrade-news.com/news/view.php?article=11077 for the results of our discussion. Damn celebrity ... that's what I am!!!

Finally arriving in Bozeman, I had the joy of spending the evening with Jen Hermesmeyer, and her husband Thad, and one-year old daughter Lilian (hi ... hi ... hi). Truly an enjoyable evening. While Thad was out chasing a soccer ball and avoiding lightening strikes, Jen gave me a tour of Bozeman. The tour gave Jen and I an opportunity of getting caught up on what has transpired in our lives since she moved to Bozeman five or six years ago. After a very delicious bison burger and great conversation at a downtown restaurant, we all returned to their home for more conversation.

Jen and Thad, thank you. Once again, life is good ... friends make it so.

Mecca ... (August 4, 2009)


After the somewhat tedious stay at the KOA zoo, I started Monday with a visit to the Adventure Cycling Assoc.'s office in Missoula. Adventure Cycling is the premier organization for touring bicyclist. I stopped in to see if there are any suggested routes to Bozeman, which is not on any of the established maps.

I had a very informative discussion with the gentleman who organizes the tours ... he gave me a suggested route that would get me off of Interstate 90 and on to various back roads. His description of these back roads included such comments as "some climbing", "meandering/rolling hills", and other such pleasantly harmless sounding phrases.

I found that my mindset and body told me that a preference for fast travel was preferred. The thing about these back roads is that there is generally a lack of safe bike lanes, and the rolling hills/climbs are quite hard after awhile. I opted to stay on I-90.

Two days of long rides (Monday: 60 miles to Drummond, MT; Tuesday: 78 miles to Butte, MT) were very difficult days. Lots of wind ... either a headwind or a sidewind (which amounts to the same thing as a headwind). Other than the noise, riding on an Interstate is probably easier than riding the back roads ... the emergency lane along the Interstate is about 12' wide, so I can ride a good distance from the traffic lanes.

Quite often there is a frontage road running parallel with the Interstate. These roads are not continuous, but they do provide a less hectic riding alternative to the Interstate. I finally decided to get off of the Interstate and on to the frontage road about 10 miles north of Anaconda. This road provided 10 miles of less stressful riding ... except for one thing ... at the end of the ten miles you have to take a 5 mile detour to get back onto I-90 (less than half a mile from the start of the detour). Ouch. Fortunately, after the detour, the road turned to the east, which then allowed me to enjoy a tailwind. It was still 20 miles into Butte, but the tailwind was appreciated.

I am heading to Bozeman to visit Jennifer Hermesmeyer, and her husband and daughter. I rode with Jen when she lived in Tucson ... she was one of the "terrific threesome" young ladies who I met through the Leukemia Society's Team-in-Training program (the other two being Heather Fowler and Marcie Seery). It will be good to see Jen.

After Bozeman, I will be heading down to Yellowstone Park. At that point I will be making a decision as to if I continue east, or make a right-hand turn and return to Arizona.

Even though life continues to be good, I am getting tired.

Thoughts on Life ... (August 2, 2009)

"In twenty years you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."

--Mark Twain
(Courtesy of Bill Burk)



"I tell you we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different."

--Kurt Vonnegut
(Courtesy of Robert Patterson)



"Fart away."
--Randy Garmon

No Go Lolo ... (August 2, 2009)


I do not have a clue what the raft in the picture to the right is ... it appears that the raft can be moved from bank to bank, and the large drum rotates due to water flow. My guess is that the rotating drum may be some kind of generator. Any thoughts, anyone?
I am currently in Missoula, MT, in a KOA Kampground Kabin for a kouple of days ... these facilities are really krappy, but cheaper than hotels.


The ride from Powell, ID to Lolo, MT on Friday was relatively uneventful, other than the 13 mile Lolo Pass climb to start the day. It took two hours and was not overly physically taxing, as compared with the 13 mile climb to get to Winchester, ID earlier in the week. Once over Lolo Pass, the ride was primarily downhill into Lolo ... total distance for the day was 51 miles.


The real highlight of the "Lolo experience" was the campground. I had a very large expanse of lawn all to myself ... unlike most RV parks. The evening was very quiet, and the temperature was very comfortable. Due to the fine weather, and no threat of rain, I did not attach the fly to my tent. Big mistake ... at 4:00 AM the sprinklers came on. I battled the sprinklers, in my boxers, for the better part of 25 minutes. Once the sprinklers finally stopped, I (cold and wet) bedded down into a wet sleeping bag. In this case, it was not a sleeping bag, it was a miserable bag.


Sooooo .... No Go Lolo ... ever again.


The next day, yesterday, I rode the 16 miles into Missoula, and got a Kabin at the local KOA. This place is insane. There is so much traffic, and the tent sites are so close together, that there is little in the way of privacy/quiet. I had a "two nights for the price of one" coupon, so I got a Kabin. I would guess that last night there were 6 tents within 5' of the exterior of the Kabin. A large number of the tent sites were filled with Harley-Davidson riders heading to Sturgis for the Annual Harley-Davidson get-together. While these guys are not the "Hells Angels" type of guys, the majority of them are in the 50+ year-old range, which means they have had years to practice their "snoring with volume" skills ... and skilled they were.
Today is a rest day ... I plan on going downtown to watch some bike racing, then come back to my Kabin and get caught up with laundry and accounting chores.

I will be going down to the Adventure Cycling Assoc. office tomorrow to talk to someone about suggested routes across Montana. I had planned on going through Yellowstone Park, but several riders have indicated that it is neither safe nor enjoyable to ride in Yellowstone.


Campsite conditions aside ... life is good

Stunningly Beautiful... (July 30, 2009)


Today's ride was 67 miles of riding along the stunningly beautiful Lochsa River ... I am happy to report that the water temperature allowed for several "not-fat dips" in the river.

A major part of the ride was dealing with road construction for the first 23 miles. The construction completed, to date, consisted of eliminating the shoulder (read "bike lane) for the full 23 miles. Fortunately, there was very light traffic, but the five areas restricted to one lane were a challenge. Again fortunately, the flagmen/women were very supportive of bicyclists, so these areas were not as risky as I had thought. I did welcome the return of the shoulder/bike lane like the return of an old friend.


Along the trail, I met a family heading east on a triple ... think "tandem bike built for three". Dorrie, Mike and son Gregory are on an extended bike trip, and plan to go to New Zealand in December of this year. They are from Northern California, and due to various economic turns, have completely liquidated/stored personal items ... the bike/panniers/trailer is now their "home". You can follow their adventure at http://www.tripleontour.blogspot.com/.


I was fortunate to spend an evening meal and morning breakfast with the family at a Lodge in Powell, ID. The conversation and demeanor was much more sane than the previous evening's meal. I have been invited to join the Williams in New Zealand ... therefore, I have established a fund-raising program to pickup the cost of first-class air fair (will consider business class). In-as-much-as accounting can be a chore, I am asking that one donor pickup the total cost.


I truly appreciate the friendship I experienced with this very interesting family. I hope we can get together again somewhere along the line.


The first 13 miles of the next leg of the ride is up ... up to Lola Pass. Should be fun.

Rowdy Friends of Mine ... (July 29, 2009)


Talk about a swing in terrain ... Today's ride from Winchester to Lowell, ID, took me from sky-island pine forests, to wheat growing prairie, to hot desert, and then to river/canyon forests. Quite a lot of variety in this 79 mile day.


The part of the ride through the Camas Prairie areas was very enjoyable ... small rolling hills which reminded me a lot of the Iowa RAGBRIA ride. The "Cadillac-on-a-stick" sign caught my attention ... I was told that at one time the lights worked, the wheels spun, and the car was a bright pink. This piece of road-side sculpture promoted a gas station/grocery store out in the middle of nowhere.


The ride was good today, highlighted by two meals.


For lunch I stopped at a bakery/restaurant in Kamiah, ID. Please understand that Kamiah, ID brings to mind the beauty of Twin Falls, ID or Clarkston, WA. However, the building was beautifully restored, the sandwich was very, very tasty, and the background music was very soothing. I did not expect to come away from the place humming the traditional English ballad "Greensleeves". Sure beats getting a song such as Bobby Vintons' "Mr. Lonely" stuck in your head.


So now to my rowdy friends. I stopped at the Three Rivers Resort ("resort" may be an over statement) and set up camp. I was graciously invited to join a group of seven guys for dinner. This group of loosely-connected family members (brothers, nephews, sons, husbands of cousins, etc.) were from the Lewiston, ID area, and were heading out on an eight day wilderness hiking trip. I think the word to accurately describe this dinner (and I do not think I have ever used this word to describe a dinner) is "raucous". There was much laughter, stories and general mayhem. I am just sorry that Uncle Mike (R.I.P.) was unable to defend himself against the accusations of non-musical skills, and general lack of sanity. It was a great evening, and I thank the group for allowing me to join them for dinner ... I hope their trip went well.


As to the camping ... two overhead street lights ... I need not say more.



Lady Bugs ... (July 28, 2009)



Leaving the harsh starkness of the Clarkston/Lewiston area behind, I started the 44 mile ride to Winchester, ID, in Arizona summer-like temperatures. Riding easterly along the Clearwater River provided some relief, but it stayed hot for most of the first twenty miles.


A point of interest along the river was a site where archaeologists had located a village that had been inhabited by the Nez Perce for about 10,000 years, with the height of activity from 2100 BC to 500 BC. This site was on one of the many major trade routes developed by the various Indian Nations long before Euro/Americans entered the Northwest.


The previously flat road to Winchester took a dramatic change in character at around mile 30 … a thirteen-mile-climb change to be exact. This climb started in a small town that goes by the name of Culdesac (elev. 2000’) and ends in Winchester (elev. 4200’). The road goes through Culdesac ... go figure that one out. Even though the grade was not all that steep, the climbing was continuous … at 4 mph, it took a little over 3 hours.


There were two items of note observed/experienced during the climb.


The first had to do with a rail line built in 1908. This line provided rail service from Lewiston, ID, up to the Camas Prairie area. The line is still in operation, and still utilizes the wooden-trestle bridges constructed in 1908/09. These bridges are a true study in structural beauty. Along with these bridge structures, seven tunnels were dug through mountains … one of the tunnels is horse-shoe shaped. Pretty impressive construction effort, if you ask me.


The other item of interest during the climb had to do with Lady Bugs. Because the road follows the path of the Lapwai Creek, at times there were continuous swarms of these bugs over long stretches of road. When you are traveling at 4 mph, the Lady Bugs have a tendency to land on your cheeks, nose, ears, sun-glasses, etc. This, in-and-of-itself, does not pose a problem; however, if you happen to be a mouth-breather (such as I) you end up with either a lack of oxygen or an abundance of protein (assuming that when Lady Bugs are ingested they provide protein).


Long climb, long day … but my fitness level is returning and my attitude continues to improve.

Civilization ... (July 27, 2009)



After spending what seemed like a lifetime getting to, and staying in Pomeroy, it is indeed a joy to arrive in the bustling metropolis of Clarkston, WA/Lewiston, ID. Arrived after the short ride around noon, and proceeded to do some much needed shopping ... bike shop for a new heavy-duty tube and the grocery store for misc. items.

The best part of getting into this area was spending the evening with Ilene and Larry McLain. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, they are heading to Gig Harbor, WA. We enjoyed great conversation over a delightful meal, then headed over to the Hells Gate State Park where they were staying for a couple of nights. They gave me a tour of their RV, which reinforces my changed view of RVs. Me thinks RVs are the way to travel ... mosquitoes outside, but not inside ... plus air conditioning and very comfortable chairs/couches. The evening was very special for me ... maybe I should dump the bike and hitch a ride with them.

During today's ride, I stopped at a historical marker ... one of many in this area pointing out points of interest concerning the Lewis & Clark Expedition. At this particular location, one could see the actual trails used by the Expedition, coming down one side of the narrow valley and up the other side (trail runs diagonally down right-to-left, at about mid-height of photo ... click on phote for enlarged view). This trail, which was pointed out by a local tribe, was the overland trail that saved the L&C traveling party quite a bit of time and miles. At this site, there was a junction of three Native American trade routes, used for thousands of years prior to Lewis and Clark coming into the area. Quite stunning to think about what little information is available concerning the history of the Western States prior to the arrival of the Euro/American explorers. As one of the historical markers pointed out, most of the travel done by the the explorers/fur traders was on well established trade routes developed over the previous thousands of years ... information about these trails was provided by the Native Americans.

While pondering the time periods involved in the habitation of this area, a rather astounding fact jolted me ... Lewis and Clark "opened up the West" in 1805, which is a little over 200 years ago. I am currently 60 years old, which means that I have been alive for most of the final one-third of the time since Lewis and Clark did their epic trip. Kind of changes my perception of time/American history.

Heading into Idaho today ... looking forward to cooler weather and prettier scenery.

Lot's of Wheat ... (July 26, 2009)


The first twenty miles of today's ride to Pomeroy, WA, was through beautiful rolling hills ... and the hills, while not alive with music, were covered with wheat. The road that wound through (up and around) is a lightly traveled road that made for very peaceful riding.


Western Washington is currently experiencing a hot spell ... temperatures in the late afternoons get up in to the mid 90's. I mention this because today's ride of 71 miles lasted well into the late afternoon ... hills and headwinds for the middle third of the ride. Very little in the way of water sources during the later part of the ride.


If one has been to Pomeroy, one would no doubt question my joy in arriving in Pomeroy. Talked with a couple of people about campsites ... not much help. Ended up spending the night at the County Fairgrounds' RV park. Turned out to be the best part of the day.


The night sky is to be seen to be believed. I have not seen so many stars ... ever. Constellations such as the Big Dipper (limit of my constelation identification skills) stand out dramatically.


Short ride (33 miles +/-) into Clarkston, WA tomorrow.

Walla Walla ... (July 25, 2009)


Walla Walla ... boola boola.


Left Oregon this morning, heading across the southeastern corner of Washington, finishing in Walla Walla, WA.


Today's ride followed the Columbia River Gorge for the final time. The canyon faces of the Gorge are quite dramatic. Google "Missoula Floods" for information about the cataclysmic floods that formed the Gorge 12,000 years ago. Cable News would have lots of news to report should such an event occur today.


The weather for this 56 mile ride was much milder than I had anticipated, and other than one short and steep climb, the ride was quite flat.


Walla Walla is an interesting town. With a population of only 60,000, the downtown is quite active ... more food, drink and music activity than I have seen in Tucson or Phoenix. The downtown area has been a commercial center for this part of the state since the 1920's, so the architecture is quite interesting. Walla Walla has a very active winery trade, and is also well know for the Walla Walla Sweet Onions (or so they say).


Looking forward to meeting with Ilene and (cousin) Larry McLain in Clarkston, WA Monday night. Ilene and Larry are heading to Gig Harbor, WA to celebrate the birth of a grandchild.


On to Pomeroy, WA tomorrow ... population about 1500. Should be a quite night.

Sign Humor ... (July 25, 2009)


Guess the people who developed Washington's motto did not visit the southeastern part of the state.

Long Hot Day ... (July 24, 2009)


Phew ... what a day. Rode 84 miles from Biggs, OR to Umitilla, OR. Long day through extreme heat and rather un-spectacular terrain.

Towns, or more correctly, commercial wide-spots, are far and few between. Talked with several bike tourers who were heading to the Pacific. They were all feeling the effects of the wind of the previous two-to-three days. In-as-much-as I was heading east, I did not give them the standard wish that the wind be at their back.

As I said, it was a long day ... not much to report other than the fitness level seems to be coming back ... but I am very tired.

Tomorrow will be hot also, but only 54 miles or so.

Mt. Hood (Really) ... (July 23, 2009)



The picture to the right is Mt. Hood ... proper name applied to proper mountain certified by Mr. B. Burk.

Today's ride was a short (34 miles), wind-aided ride. Not much of note to discuss, other than the wind was very strong (up to 30 mph gusts), and thankfully at my back. I talked with a couple of twenty-something riders this evening who had come 84 miles from the east ... they were cooked, to say the least. Anyway, the ride from Lyle to Biggs, OR was just what my legs needed.

I stopped along the way to watch some wind-surfers, of which this area is a national draw. Got a quick description of equipment and technique from a retired lady who participates in the sport (on less windy days). Looks to be a lot of fun ... another example of activities in which people pursue as their passion. Bill Burk has a neighbor, in his 60's, who comes to this area from Florida, for the summer, to wind-surf.

Other than watching the wind-surfers and reading various Lewis & Clark and Oregon Trail historical signs, the day was quite uneventful ... just what I needed.

Life is good ... attitude is improving.

Sufferin' ... (July 23, 2009)


Feeling the pain of not having been on the bike much over the past three weeks.

I flew back to Portland on July 21, after having spent a glorious week in Phoenix. Had the opportunity of spending quite a bit of time with friends and family, which was a true joy.
Upon my return to Portland, I spent the evening with Cynthia Holmes and her sister ... had a great meal and entertaining conversation ... downtown Portland is a great place to spend a summer evening.
I am currently in Lyle, WA, spending the evening with long-time good friend Bill Burk. Bill lives up on a hill overlooking the Columbia River ... what a view. Question: What is it with my friends always living "up on a hill"? First it was Mary Lou and Randall in Utah, now it's Bill. Please consider buying a house on the flats should you have a friend who cycles.

Included in the visit to Arizona was a quick trip up to Payson to see my brother's airplane. Dick has been assembling this "kit" for a number of years, and is very close to having it ready to fly. This is a two passenger airplane that cruises at 70 mph, with a range of a couple hundred miles. I have asked Dick to have someone shoot a video of his first flight (I will post it here when I receive a copy). We all have dreams/adventures ... this is part of Dick's dream; the flying of this little airplane will be the adventure. Well done, Dick.

Back to the suffering ... the last two days of riding have been in the 45 mile range, but have been quite hard. I have lost much of the fitness that I had developed on the ride to Eugene. Now I just need to put in the time on the bike to get that fitness level back. Fortunately, the prevailing winds are from the west, so that is helping.

In addition to the fitness slump, I am experiencing a lack of excitement and motivation for this adventure. I am telling myself this is a result of having spent time away from the bike and with friends, and that the enthusiasm will return along with the fitness. I sure hope so.

I am heading off into the unknown tomorrow. Wonder what awaits me?

The Adventure Resumes ... (July 13, 2009)


Left Eugene yesterday morning after a very enjoyable stay.

The ride toward Albany is a flat ride along rural roads ... very enjoyable and a good road to rebuild a level of fitness. Not much to report about the ride other than the fact that the final two miles into Albany was in a downpour. Not a good way to finish up a day's ride ... very wet and very cold.

Today's ride toward Portland ended in Newberg. First part of the ride was again flat, but the middle third was nothing but rolling hills. This part of Oregon is wine country, so the scenery was quite beautiful ... but very much up. The roads in this area do not have a bike lane, so the climbs were somewhat stressful when cars/trucks approached from the rear.

On one of these climbs, I had the opportunity of sharing a guy's road-rage. This guy, in an over sized pick-up truck, slowed down to my climbing pace (4 mph) to share with me his thoughts regarding my being on (t)his road. "You may be in the right to be on this road ... you may even be dead-right ... but you will not be any less dead!!" Clever fellow. Due to my hearing losses, I thought he was kidding at first, so I just laughed and smiled, which just ignited his anger. Thankfully, after a minute or so of his diatribe, he sped off. I later saw his truck parked at a house along the road. This road is a designated route on the Willamette (rhymes with "will-dam-it" ... emphasis on "dam" for you non-Oregonians) Valley Bicycle map. I suspect this guy probably had to give up a few seconds of his busy driving schedule, to bikers, on a fairly regular basis. Scary, to say the least.

The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful, just a lot of agricultural areas and less-rolling hills. Tomorrow I will be heading into Portland, then flying down to Phoenix for about a week. Not sure if I am looking forward to the heat, but I am looking forward to seeing familiar faces.

The adventure continues, and life is good.

Dippin' the Wheel ... (July 8, 2009)


Gettin' ready to head east.

I rode from Eugene over to Florence yesterday, and dipped the rear wheel of my bike in the Pacific Ocean. Now comes the long haul across country to dip the front wheel in the Atlantic.

The ride to Florence is not all that hard ... there are several small climbs of 500 to 600 feet, with one extremely exhilarating 7% down hill run. This down hill run is particularly enjoyable as a good part of the 7% is going through a tunnel (that does not have a bike lane). I was flying!

After the 60 miles +/- to Florence, I rode an additional 5 or 6 miles to find a beach ... then carried the bike about a quarter of a mile across the sand to get to the water. I asked a family, that was sitting close to the breaking waves, if one of them would take my picture. It is odd the varied reactions you get when talking about riding across the country. Reactions vary from "you're crazy", to "I have always wanted to do that", to "smiles and encouragement". This family was in the "smiles" category ... they were quite excited to be taking part in my adventure, and that made me feel good.

The return ride to Eugene was not so good. Having taken a little more than a week off from touring definitely had an impact on my fitness level. Legs hurt and my energy level late in the ride was greatly diminished.

What goes down, must go up ... the tunnel that was so much fun yesterday was no joy today. That 7% grade was really quite difficult, due primarily to my weakened physical state. I was pedaling like a madman trying to get through that tunnel before traffic came from behind. Towards the end of the tunnel I could hear what sounded like a semi-truck approaching from behind, and there were cars coming towards me from the front ... this did not leave too much room for a bike (or, therefore, me). The "front approaching" cars went past me, but the approaching-from-the-rear freight-train was getting closer, and I was imagining the worst. As I got to the mouth of the tunnel, the 747 turned out to be a small Toyota, which passed me with room to spare ... at this point I managed to get my fingers loosened from my death grip on the handlebars and took several very deep breaths. Scared me like I have never been scared on a bike before.

Anyway, the bike has been dipped in the Pacific ... time to head east. I will be leaving Eugene in a few days and head to Portland. I am planning on catching a flight from Portland to Phoenix to take care of a few administrative tasks (that I failed to do prior to leaving AZ), then return to Portland to continue the ride.

Actually, I just need some of that AZ heat to warm-up this body.

Taking a break ... (July 2, 2009)


After a leisurely ride along the McKenzie River, I made my way through Springfield (one last head-wind test) and into Eugene.

I kind of thought the City of Eugene might spend some extra money for a reception (marching band and big welcoming sign), but I guess with the budget crunch that government agencies are facing these days, they did the best they could.

Nancy O'Brien, a former Arizonian, has graciously allowed me to stay with her while I am in Eugene. I met Nancy a couple of years ago when several of us did the Oregon Coast ride. Nancy is an avid hiker, and I have discovered that a person does not use the same muscles for hiking as for biking. I can ride 1600 miles and feel okay ... 4 to 5 miles hiking and I am wiped out.

Eugene is a very interesting town ... very bike friendly. I have been roaming around town and discovering a wide variety of neighborhoods and many, many beautiful homes. Landscaping is much different as compared with Phx/Tucson. Green is a natural color here.

Today the temperature is supposed to get up into the 90's ... feels very comfortable to me, but the Eugene-ites have prepared emergency shelters and rescue plans for the heat. Way different from Arizona, I assure you.

My plan is to take a couple of weeks off, and with Nancy's sure guidance, experience the various attractions that abound around Eugene. Once back on the bike, I will be heading east up the Columbia River, through Central Idaho to Missoula, then Yellowstone ... then points east through Nebraska and Iowa.

Feels good to be off of the bike, and out of the tent.

Errata ... (June 27, 2009)

A few errors have been pointed out to me regarding some of the observations I have made. I do not know if this has any regional implications, but the only individuals who have been insensitive enough to point out the error of my ways live in the Northwestern section of the United States.

Corrections are as follows:
1. Colorful plants that grow in areas other than tended gardens are not weeds, they are wild flowers,
2. The deer I saw (and had a stairing contest with) were not deer at all, they were pronghorn antelope, and
3. The picture I identified as Mt. Hood is actually Mt. Jefferson.

I would like to thank those who have so rudely reminded me of my limited knowledge ... however, Bill, one more and your off my Xmas card list.

Almost there ... (June 27, 2009)


One more day of riding and I will have reached Eugene. 1650 miles (+/-) ... as they say at AA, "Take it one day at a time."

Today's ride was quite varied. The roads are great, except for some of the road that was pointed upward ... took about two hours to get to the summit, but after that it was a glorious run downhill. There is great beauty in the wooded forests ... there has also been great devastation due to forest fires. I cannot imagine how nervous the National Forest Service people must get during dry spells.

There are also tremendous lava flows that run along the road for great distances. This is a reminder of how volcanically active this area is, and just how recent, geologically speaking, these flows occured. Balancing out the dark shades of the lava flows is the McKenzie River, which runs along quite a bit of the second half of today's ride. The McKenzie River is a fast moving, fairly shallow river, with lots of rapids. Lots of shades of blue and white when the sun shines on the river.

I am bedding down at a RV park in Rainbow tonight. In most cases, these RV parks have a small general store ... this one does not. I asked where the nearest store is, and the lady said one was about a mile and a half on down the road ... then asked what I was going to buy. I told her "A couple cans of beer and some stew." She told me to wait a minute, then came back with two cans of beer and some stew (no charge) ... later she stopped by my camping spot with some apple pie. Either she is incredibly nice, or I looked as though I was on my last legs. I prefer to think she is just very nice.

Not really a "small world" item: I was talking with a retired guy at the City of Sisters City Campground last night ... he is a retired Civil Engineer who had specialized in hydro-electric dams. I mentioned to him that the father of my sister-in-law, Carol, had been a top administrator/engineer when the Hoover Dam was built near Boulder City, NV. When I told him Ed's name, he responded that he had never met Ed, but he knew of him and had great respect for Ed's work and reputation. I never knew the Ed Nielsen this guy spoke of ... the Ed I knew was very unassuming, humble and probably enjoyed a good joke as much as anyone I have ever met.

It's getting late, and the light along the McKenzie River is growing dim ... time to squat into the tent and enjoy the discomfort of sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag.

But still, life is good.

Bright White ... (June 26, 2009)


Today’s ride was fairly easy … 40 miles of fairly flat road between Prineville and Sisters.

The City of Redmond is about half way between Prineville and Sisters, and provided me with one of the best sandwiches I have had for some time. A little sandwich shop in the downtown area includes raspberry mustard and pumpkin seeds in their sandwiches. The name of the shop is “Auntie Em’s”. What the shop has to do with the Wizard of Oz, I have no idea. I also should say that Redmond is indeed a city … 25,000 people … in Central Oregon, this is a huge number of people.

While the ride was easy, other than the scenery, it was quite uneventful. However … a word about the scenery.

Being a desert boy, I am unaccustomed to massive peaks covered with snow … particularly in June. Sure, I have experienced Camelback Mountain on those rare occasions when Phoenix gets snow, but I have to say that these mountains are huge and the peaks are covered with bright white snow … and are quite beautiful. My words cannot properly convey the awe of seeing Mt. Hood glistening in the morning sun. What an incredible, spectacularly beautiful site. See, my words don’t succeed.

Sisters, OR reminds me a lot of the Flagstaff area … lots of green, lots of pine trees, and quite comfortable weather. Also, lots of traffic passing through town.

I have insect repellent now … but there are no mosquitoes!

Friend indeed ... (June 25, 2009)


The highlight of today was not the ride.

Today's highlight was sharing time with a friend.

First the ride ... today had one long climb (10 to 12 miles) that occurred in the first third of the 50 mile ride. After reaching the summit, the road was one long downhill into Prineville. Some of the downhills were at very high speeds, some just an easy coast. Saw some beautiful scenery ... Central Oregon , although different, is equally as beautiful as Southern Idaho (Mitchell, however is in a very tight competition with Twin Falls).

The best part of the day was meeting up with Bill Sievers in Prineville. Bill is doing a coast-to-coast ride with a number of other riders. Bill, and Linda Matson (friends I met in Tempe, who then abandoned me when they moved to Tucson), were instrumental in getting me prepared, equipment-wise, for this trip of mine. Anyway, it was great to spend some time with Bill and share stories about their, and my, travels. Thanks, Bill.

Tomorrow will be an easy 39 mile day to Sisters (for me) ... Bill's group is covering 117 miles, or so, with two serious climbs (what's the uphill opposite to Woo-hoo?) to John Day; not going to be an easy day for them.

Life is good ... friends make it so.

Damn wind ... (June 24, 2009)


Today's ride, from Clyde Holliday State Park (Mt. Vernon) to Mitchell, would have been hard enough (65 miles with one serious climb and one not-so-serious climb), but the wind out of the west just added to the struggle. The area between the climbs is a high prairie with few trees to block the wind. The wind picked up when I was about 4 miles from the top of the serious climb (first climb of the day), and continued until I reached the summit of the second climb ... probably about 15 miles. This created a very tiring condition, and my spirits were suffering. Fortunately, once I reached the summit of the second climb, there was a (Woo-hoo) 5 mile downhill run into Mitchel. Spirits rising ...

I stayed in a small, historic hotel in Mitchell. The Oregon Hotel is an old two-story structure with about 10 or 12 rooms. Some of the rooms have a private bath, but the majority of the night's guests use the bathrooms down at the end of the hall. Each tread of the stairway to the second floor had a unique musical note ... no sneaking in after midnight would go unnoticed.

Unlike the major brand hotels, this hotel had a front porch that was made for conversing with the other guests. One couple that was staying for the night was from Edmonton. As it turned out, their daughter had played on some youth/high school sports teams with the daughter of Jan and Ed Jorgensen. Jan, Ed and I, along with others, rode the Oregon Coast and the RAGBRIA Iowa ride. Anyway, this "small world" experience brought great joy to me in an otherwise dismal little town.

While riding up the serious climb, I approached a very odd looking tree ... I could not figure out what kind of leaves/fruits were hanging from the limbs. On closer inspection, I realized that the tree had hundreds of shoes hanging from the limbs. Very odd. I asked around Mitchell as to the "why" of this oddity ... no one seemed to know why; apparently it "just is".

There was a nice pair of Nike shoes, but they were out of reach.

Weather is getting warmer, bordering on hot ... life is good.

Easy Day ... (June 23, 2009)


After yesterday’s ride, I had decided to take it easy today. Prairie City to Clyde Holliday State Park is only about 21 miles, and it is pretty much flat. The town of John Day is about 13 miles from Prairie City, so I used it as a food stop. And good food it was. For the record, I have no idea who Clyde and John were, nor what they did to warrant naming parks/towns after them. I am sure they did something in this area that is historic in nature. This reminds me, I saw a plaque in John Day today that said that in 1878 nothing happened at that location.

This area is high desert, and quite warm … which does me good. There are only a few clouds in the sky; I am hoping the warmth is here to stay for a while.

I bought a book at Betty’s Bookstore in Baker City (besides the semi-amusing alliteration, it is a nice independent bookstore). The book (Westward Vision by David Lavender) discusses how the Western United States (west of the Mississippi) was explored starting in the 1540s, and how the various overland trails were developed. Being a “C” student prohibits me from giving a concise summary of what I have read, but at the point I have reached, Mr. Lavender has been discussing the political and economic reasons that France, Spain and England were attempting to find a passage through North America to Asia. Interesting read. I should mention that being a “C” student also leaves me with the nagging thought that the name of the book should have been underlined, put in parenthesis, or italised.

Anyway, today has been an easy, restful day.

Warm is good.

As advertised, almost ... (June 22, 2009)


The ride from Baker City to Prairie City was, as fore-warned by others, a difficult ride. Taking almost eight hours of riding time, it was a long day. Included in the 70 miles of riding were three long climbs … my speed up these climbs varied from 3 mph to 6 mph. But the down hills were sweet.

For the first time since Utah, I met up with a number of bike touring folks. They were all heading eastward, so they had a great time telling me about the climbs to come … but then I could do the same. Don’t know if they exaggerated, but I sure did. One thing that caught my attention was the varying amount of luggage the various riders were carrying. There were two college-age women who appeared to each have a small duffel bag strapped to their rear bike racks. They were headed to Chicago. My guess is that they were doing hotels exclusively. But later I talked to two older guys who were planning to camp that evening, and they each had only two small panniers … they were ultimately going to Virginia. Fortunately, for my pride, there were several other riders with as much, if not more gear than I. It has given me something to think about … what am I carrying that maybe I do not need? I did get rid of the Unabridged Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary that I have carried with me since high school.

I got a chuckle early on the first climb … a young guy came down this long hill on a single-speed fixed-gear bike. By way of explanation, on a fixed-gear single speed, if the rear tire is moving, so are the pedals. This guy’s feet were moving so fast you could barely see them; I am sure that his cadence was approaching 150 rpm!

Now, for the “almost as advertised”: the weather.com website had promised skies with no clouds or wind. Wrong! For most of the day the dark gray of the clouds blocked out the blue of the sky, and the wind (out of the west naturally), was coming at me at a pretty good pace. Up on the top of the three passes, it was downright cold … probably in the high 40s. But the views were spectacular. The country up in that area reminds me of the upper reaches of Mt. Lemmon (without the scars left by the fires back in 2003). Beautiful … but cold.

The final 7 miles of the day’s ride were a rider’s delight. Earlier in the day I had talked with a couple from Boston who said it took them about one hour and forty five minutes to get up the first climb of their day (they were headed east; me west). This downhill took me about fifteen minutes … and the weather was getting warm. Now that is the way to finish up a long day of riding.

Ahhhh, life is indeed good.

Taking a break ... (June 21, 2009)


I have pretty much parked my bike for the weekend, and have given the body a rest.


Baker City is hosting a regional bicycle stage race this weekend, and the town is full of very serious bike racers. The event, The Elkhorn Classic, ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and draws racers from throughout the Northwest and Northern California.


I spent Saturday downtown watching the time trials and the criterium races. Lots of fun. Had the opportunity to talk touring with a young couple, from South Carolina, who were passing through town. They gave me some worthwhile tips on routes and equipment. It was quite pleasurable to share the love of touring with these two. They are heading across country, and need to be back in South Carolina in mid August.


Sunday's race was to be a 105 mile road race, which was to go over three summits and then finish at a nearby mountain top. Another cold front, with cold rain, came through the area starting around midnight, Saturday night. The race officials ended up shortening this stage to 25 miles ... I would imagine the racers were greatly relieved as it was miserable.


I had planned on riding out to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, which is about 6 miles out of town. Needless to say, with the rain, I did not visit the Center. I did, however, walk over to the Baker City Museum and learned that the guy who started the Airsteam Trailer Company, Wally Byam, was born in Baker City. Now that's a piece of information that will probalby come in handy at some point ... can't imagine when, though.


Monday's ride will be a tough one ... 66 miles with three summit climbs ... summits are in the neighborhood of 4500' to 5200'; Baker City is 3450'. Weather projections call for sunshine all week, so that is good. It will be good to get off of Route 84, and on to some scenic roads.

Is this Idaho? ... (June 19, 2009)


Just when I thought I was in for some warm weather, it was deja Idaho, all over again.

When I left Fairwell Bend State Park, it was nice ... a little breezy maybe, but nice. The weather quickly changed as a cold front came roaring through Eastern Oregon. There are some spectacular downhill runs in the early stages of the ride to Baker City. With the headwind, I was streaking my way down these hills at 7 mph!!! I had figured on a relatively easy 50 mile ride; the weather gods had a differing opinion.

After about 10 miles of this devastating headwind, the rain started ... and it did not let-up for about 25 miles. The wind did soften about 8 miles into the rain phase.

For anyone reading this who may have a similar "lack of attention to detail" as I, may I explain the difference between "water-proof" and "water-resistant" materials. Water-resistant is synonymous with "water-conductive", or more clearly stated "not water-proof". My rain pants are water-proof; my rain jacket is not. When the rain stopped, the wetness of my long-sleeve jersey provided little warmth until the sun came out.

The last 15 to 20 miles were better and more enjoyable. Matter of fact, the last 10 miles were pretty much downhill (no headwind this time).

Baker City is a pretty town, with historic downtown and surrounding residential areas. This weekend, the area is awash in bicycles as they are holding the Elkhorn Classic Bicycle races. The Classic consists of four stage races ... two road races, one time-trial and one criterium. Lots and lots of very nice racing road bikes.

I plan on taking a couple of days off to watch the racing, then head across central Oregon.

Life is good.

Easy Schmeezzie ... (June 18, 2009)

Ontario to Fairwell Bend State Park ... I was expecting an easy day doing only about 25 miles. Easy stuff.

Surprise, there are three or four massive climbs between Ontario and the state park. Plus a slight headwind ... no rain, though. What I had projected as an easy restfull day on the bike turned out to be quite a hard day, short though it was.
After arriving at Fairwell Bend State Park, I was reminded of one of the items Linda Matson had included on her "tour packing list" ... insect repellent! The mosquitoes had a feast, to say the least. The area around the lake/park, while quite barren, is quite beautiful especially at sunset.
This park got it's name, "Fairwell Bend" as it was the last camp the pioneers had prior to heading overland to the Columbia River. The wagon trains had followed the Snake River up to this point. I wonder if the pioneers remembered the insect repellent.
Oregon State Parks have special rates ($4 versus $15) for hikers/bikers, as well as a designated area away from the RV camping areas. So there I was over in an isolated area, all by myself. I should say that I did get a chance to talk with the RV folks as the "RV dump station" is adjacent to the hiker/biker area. Very pleasant ... the conversations, not the odors.
I did find out from one of the RV'ers that had I taken Route 201, instead of 84, I would have had a very nice scenic flat ride along the Snake River.
Live and learn.

Exit Idaho ... (June 17, 2009)


Today's ride was very much a shortened version of my ride through Idaho ... cold and wet at the beginning; warm and sunny at the end.

Riding at a leisurely pace, I rode the 48 miles between Meridian, ID and Ontario, OR in a little under four hours. There was little of distinction to note ... just a few small climbs, little wind and a little rain. Coming out of Meridian, it drizzled for about 6 miles ... just enough to put on the rain jacket and shower cap (shower cap over the helmet keeps the head dry and looks oh so fashionable).

Once the rain stopped, the weather turned warm. Arrived in Ontario (Oregon!!) mid-afternoon, and did a little shopping at a local bike shop. Always nice to talk bikes. This part of the country is high desert with vast (brown) vistas interspersed with green agricultural fields.

I have decided to take the "Central Oregon" route across the state. Will head up to Baker City, then head west. Rather than take on the 72 miles to Baker City in one day, I plan on riding about 20 miles to a state park tomorrow, then the remaining 52 miles Friday. The easy day will do my legs good.

I had hoped to get off of route 84 (interstate highway), but will be riding it until Baker City.

Looking forward to seeing what Central Oregon looks like, even if there are several challenging climbs between here and Eugene.

A good day to be riding ... (June 16, 2009)


Weather-wise, it was a good day to be riding.

The ride from Mountain Home to Meridian (5 miles west of Boise), was a day unmarred by weather factors. Not much in the way of climbs, either. Actually, other than the traffic in the Boise area, the ride was quite uneventful.

The terrain between Mountain Home and Boise reminds me of the area north of Cordes Junction on I-17.

The highpoint of the ride was time shared with two deer. The first deer I saw resulted in a five minute stair-down. I guess my neon-green shirt is quite noticeable to animals. After the stair-down (the deer won), I rode on ... the deer ran along parallel with the road for about a quarter of a mile. The second deer also ran along for a short distance, but then disappeared over a hill.

The other event of interest was my visit to a REI store in Boise. The ride through Boise, to get to the store, was interesting in that there was a lack of a bike lane for a good part of the ride. Stressful to say the least. The young lady who assisted me at the REI had just completed an Ironman event this past weekend ... boy did she walk funny. Odd how addictive running becomes ... even though she was hurting, she said she thought she could start running again in a few days.

Wednesday's ride looks to be a good one, both in regards to weather and distance/elevation changes. I am now re-thinking the route across Oregon. May go up to the Columbia River, or head directly across the central parts of the state. Will have to make that decision Wednesday afternoon when I reach Ontario, OR.

Wednesday's ride is the second day of week four ... will be over 1200 miles at the end of the day.



But it's a dry wind ... (June 15, 2009)

Finally, a dry day. No rain other than the three drops that I counted hitting me near Glenn's Ferry. What joy!

Today's ride, from Jerome to Mountain Home, was a long ride ... 74 miles. The first 30 miles were a joy ... dry, flat and no wind (no wind is second only to a tailwind on the "wind impact factors whilst riding a bike"). I was sailing along, with my shadow I might add, probably averaging somewhere around 16 mph. Ah, it would be a great day for riding.

Did I mention I was heading to a town named "Mountain Home"? A smarter person than I would deduce that if a town is called "Mountain Home", then it's elevation is probably higher than surrounding areas.

The last forty miles, or so, were impacted by a steady series of climbs and strong headwinds. This combination of riding factors teaches one to be patient and accepting of the factors presented. As I mentioned above, today's ride was a long day: six and a half hours actual riding time; eight hours total travel time ... stopping for eats, pictures and a flat. Getting back to the lessons learned riding into the climbs/headwinds ... and being so noble ... it is most discouraging to see that only 3 miles remain in the ride, yet you are only doing 7 mph ... most discouraging. As I said, long day! Tomorrow only 44 miles into Boise, so should be an easier day ... and the weather seems to be improving.

I must apologize to Twin Falls regarding my comparison to Ajo. I think my positive mindset had diminished to the point of being mean-spirited due to the four consecutive rain days. Reflecting back on the vistas around Twin Falls, I think the proper comparison would be Eloy.

I think I should also say something positive about "wind" after my disparaging comments regarding headwinds. Because of the constant "high winds" in this area, there are a great number of the gigantic wind generators scattered around the area. If there is a more elegantly designed structure introduced to the landscape in the past 10 years, I have not seen it. These structures, with three giant blades (think Mercedes hood ornament) spinning atop the slender support column, would be elegant enough. Add the bright white color of these structures and place them against the vivid darker colors of the mountains beyond ... ah, eye candy for those who enjoy structures.

Speaking of "bright white", I have come to understand that there are three things that bring joy into my life on this adventure ... coffee, WiFi, and bright white clean porcelain. What can I say, I am a city boy.

The joy in riding should return tomorrow ... Oregon is only two days away.

Four for four ... (June 14, 2009)

Another day of riding in the rain.

When it came time to leave Burley this morning, it was raining. I waited half-an-hour, but it did not look as though the rain was going to stop, so I headed west. A steady drizzle fell for the first six miles or so. After the rain finally stopped, the wind and overcast sky remained for the next fifteen miles.

My cold body and tired legs prompted me to decide to cut today's ride shorter than I had planned. The rest of the day has been one of resting in Jerome, ID.

The area west of Burley is primarily agricultural ... great expanses of crops ... potatoes, don'cha know. It has often been said that there is an exception to every rule. Twin Falls, ID is the exception to Idaho beauty ... think Ajo.

Once again, I hope it does not rain tomorrow.

Rain, rain, go away ... (June 13, 2009)

One of the interesting things about long distance riding is that you can pretty much see what the weather is going to do to you ... and there really isn't a whole lot you can do about it.

Today made it three days in-a-row that I have had the joy of riding in the rain. Yesterday, for four hours and thirteen minutes of four hours and eighteen minutes of riding, there was no rain. But for five minutes in Pocatello, there was such a heavy downpour that I could barely see twenty feet in front of me. Today, I got hit by about thirty minutes of rain as I was finishing up the ride into Burley, ID. I am not sure, but I think the word "Idaho" really means, "Feels like an Arizona January day." Temperatures have been running in the 50s and low 60s. I finish up the rides and immediately put on a sweatshirt, woolen socks and long pants ... I look around and see others in shorts and t-shirts. Yeah, well, at least I am warm, even if it is obvious I am from a warmer climate. Never thought I would say this, but I sure could go for a few 100 degree days.

Other than the rain episodes, this really is a terrific area. Most of the trails used by the pioneers who traveled to the West Coast, in the 1840s and 1850's, came through this area. Lots of history was made in this part of the country. Wonder if those pioneers complained about the rain?

Due to the cold and the rain, I have opted to spend more nights in motels than in campgrounds. The challenge presented to me is that just prior to opening the doors to the rooms of these $35 to $40 a night motels, one is filled with fear of what the condition of the room is going to be. For a guy who is used to La Quinta-esque hotels (thanks to my former employer), I find this to be a real challenge. Some of these places do not understand the concept of "non-smoking" rooms.

Today, I enjoyed two seperate conversations with two fellow cyclists. The first was with a 76 year-old gentleman who lives in the American Falls area. He rides an average of 40 miles a day, and is planning on a tour of Yellowstone Park with friends in August of this year. He provided me with quite a bit of information about the area ... was a fun conversation. The second conversation was with a young father (with two pre-teen boys), who had done extensive bike touring in his college days. The highlight of his trips was a ride from Ft. Collins, CO, all the way to Fairbanks. He, and his sons, were riding through one of the State Parks west of American Falls.

The riding continues, with rain projected for another three or four days, but I am still enjoying this adventure. Hope I stay dry today ...

Rain or Shine ... (June 11, 2009)


Mostly rain ... and very little shine. I think I saw my shadow three or four times today, but I saw/felt about 20 miles of rain. Fortunately, the rain was in the early parts of today's ride from Tremonton, UT to Downey, ID.

Even in the current overcast weather, this part of the country needs to be seen to be believed. I have not seen such deep, rich shades of green since seeing southwestern Ireland back in the mid-90's. The area of Idaho where I am today (south of Pocatello) is made up of massive mountains and wide, wide, wide valleys. With the sun breaking through the clouds, patches of green are highlighted; which, when combined with patches of yellow flowers (weeds), a beautiful landscape results.

Given the vistas enjoyed today, I must confess that I abandoned the peaceful and serene back roads and rode I-15. The weather reports predicted rain (they got that one right!), so I decided to take the most direct route available and rode the interstate. Ah, the joy of having a semi-truck go buzzing by me and being drenched by the road-water spray of the passing truck.

Had the joy of sharing a table and conversation with a fellow cyclist/runner when I stopped for lunch today. The young guy is a geologist who is currently doing some geological surveys in Idaho/Utah, but lives in the Washington D.C. area. It was so nice to have a conversation about bikes, touring and running events. He, Rob, is running a marathon this coming weekend, then flying back to D.C. He has set a goal of running a marathon in all 50 states (Idaho will be 27th state), and also plans on doing the Tempe Ironman event next fall ... and people think I am crazy!

Meteorologists are predicting rain through Wednesday of next week, but I will continue to push on. I am hoping to get over to the Portland area around the 22nd of June. Bill Sievers, a friend from Tucson, is starting a cross-country ride from Astoria, OR on June 22, and I am hoping we can meet-up somewhere in the St. Helen's/Portland area.

Other than doing a whole lot of pedalling, I am not sure I am getting much accomplished ... but in a very strange way I am feeling very satisfied.

Rained Out ... June 10, 2009

And here I thought some of those 70 to 75 mile riding days were long. Today has been nothing but frustration and boredom.

It was raining all morning, so I decided to spend another day here in Tremonton, UT, at a hotel that advertises WiFi ... either my computer or their equipment is not working right. Can’t even do cross-word puzzles on-line … what’s a guy to do without the internet (other than head over to the McDonalds across the street where you can purchase WiFi time). I can only read for so long, or watch the news reports of the shooting at the Holocaust Museum for so long. Loooooooooong day.

So what's my the plan?

Tomorrow, rain or shine, I am heading towards Pocatello, ID, then westward to Twin Falls and Boise. From there, I will be heading up to the Columbia River and across Oregon to either Portland or the coast, depending on how the schedule goes. The end goal is to be in Eugene on the 29th of June. Depending on my state-of-mind at that point, I hope to then head across country towards the East Coast. We shall see …

So why am I doing this?

Still have not found a strong reason, other than I felt I needed to get out of the daily rut I had fallen into since retiring … coffee and newspaper, Internet, cross-word puzzle, avoid cleaning, run errands (bank, grocery stores, library, whatever) on my bike, read, nap … not much was getting done, but it was terribly comfortable. So I decided that I needed to do something to get out of my comfort zone … this trip has indeed successfully done that!

I am hoping that I will have some sort of epiphany, one of these days, which will bring some new energy to my life … after all, I figure I have another 20 to 30 years left on this earth. Best make those years productive.

Having said all that, I sure hope it isn’t raining tomorrow morning.

Four Days to Northern Utah ... June 9, 2009


The last four days have brought a wide variety of terrain … extremely rural to big city.

The early stages of last Saturday’s ride found me riding through mostly flat agricultural areas. Still plenty of mountain views and still plenty of tail wind. The usual pattern seems to be nice weather in the mornings … not so nice weather in the afternoons. My destination was the Painted Rock Campground at the Yuba State Park. The State of Utah Park Administration had decided that one small sign reading “Yuba Reservoir” would suffice to alert travelers of the turn-off for the campground. It was insufficient notice for me … I rode on for an additional 5 miles, or so, before determining (guessing) that I had missed the turn. The return trip was into a very strong headwind. After making the turn into the Reservoir, and riding about an eighth of a mile, there was quite a nice big sign indicating that the Painted Rock Campground was just to right. Nice. Indeed, the campground was nice … once the wind finally died down.

Sunday’s ride was really quite pleasant. Pretty country and light winds … no rain. In the small town of Levan, I asked a guy for directions to a good local cafĂ©. As the conversation went on, we discovered that he knew Sue Fassett, who leads the Saturday morning group ride in Tempe. He had gone to high school with Sue, and his dad had been a teacher at the same school. Small world.

The remainder of the ride was rather uneventful, but enjoyable. It was quite strange riding into the urban area south of Salt Lake City. Not having been in a predominately Mormon area before, I was unaware that everything is closed on Sundays. There were very few people outside of their houses, very few people driving on the roads … it was ghost town. I was to stay at Mary Lou and Randall Thackerey’s house, so I called Mary Lou for directions. She gave me the street names, etc., and mentioned that they were located at the top of a hill. I think this “hill” is used by automotive designers as a “test hill” to see if their four-wheel vehicles can climb the most severe mountains.

It had been probably 20 years since I had last seen Mary Lou and Randall. It is funny how, even though quite a bit life has happened to us all, the personalities and characters have not changed. They live, as I mentioned earlier, high up on the side of a mountain … the views all around their house are amazingly beautiful. My too short stay was very enjoyable.

Monday found me working my way through Salt Lake City, up to Bountiful. Rather than ride through SLC, I chose to take advantage of the public transit system (Ride the Yellow Line). SLC has two rail lines, one (TRAX) that runs from Sandy to downtown SLC, then the other (FrontRunner) that runs up to Ogden. You access the TRAX rail cars by climbing up four fairly steep steps … keep in mind that my bike/panniers weigh around 80 pounds. It was not a scene of great agility and grace. The transit system did work, however, and I eliminated a lot of riding in heavy traffic.

Heather Fowler’s favorite aunt, who lives in Bountiful, graciously offered to house me for the night. This lady was a real treat to spend time with … she is a self-described “old lady”. This “old lady” is one of the most interesting people I have met in a long time. At 70 (I think that is what she said), she has an ongoing massage therapy practice, she plays wonderful piano, she gave birth to 16 children … on and on the interesting facets of her life were disclosed. Lest you think she is just an old frail elderly lady … recently she was clocked by a policeman doing approximately 105 mph. Her excuse … she had the sun roof open on her car and her Springsteen music playing. Amazing lady.

Today, I took the FrontRunner train up to Ogden, then rode the 48 miles up to Tremonton. Very pleasant ride along the foothills just east of the Great Salt Lake. This road is lightly traveled, and there were a steady supply of beautiful old homes. I did have a race with a storm that hit Tremonton about 30 minutes after I arrived.

Which brings me to great nervousness about the coming days. Weather reports call for thunderstorms through the end of the week ... these storms are coming from the northwest, which means headwinds. The next town of any size is about 105 miles from Tremonton. The next few days are going to be a challenge, to say the least.